Last week I had the pleasure of speaking 1:1 with Chief Marketing Officer of Avelle (a.k.a. Bag Borrow or Steal), Jodi Watson. As a huge advocate for “smart shopping,” I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get hooked on this new borrowing revolution.

If you hadn’t heard of Bag Borrow or Steal prior to May 2008, you were probably made aware by the Sex & the City movie. Carrie’s assistant, Louise (played by Jennifer Hudson), rocked designer bags from Bag Borrow or Steal in the movie.

To my surprise, there was no sponsorship arrangement. Bag Borrow or Steal was written directly into the script and they didn’t find out until it was near final! Talk about a PR/marketing dream come true!

I just started an account and can’t wait to “Avelle” my first accessory. First on my list? Sunglasses (keep a lookout for Avelled items in my outfit posts). You should try it too! Right now they have a promotion going where you get one week free on any monthly rental with code: 1WEEKFREE.

Q&A from the interview:

Q: What was the inspiration behind Bag Borrow or Steal? The company was founded by two men (Lloyd Lapidus and Greg Pippo) who grew up watching their mothers and sisters raid each others’ closets. The built their business for the experimental consumer; for the woman who wants to try before she buys.  

Q: How does the process work? You can choose to rent as a member or a guest (members get lower prices), and you can “borrow” each product for as a little as a week to as long as you like. If you decide you want to keep it, Avelle will provide you with a “steal” quote based on the retail value and how long you’ve rented it. Read more details here.

Q: What are the brands are the toughest to keep in stock? Chanel, Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Prada.

Q: How do you ensure quality control? They have an extensive refurbishment process to restore every product to “new” condition along with a X authentification in place to catch

Q: Why the name change from Bag Borrow or Steal to Avelle? They have been undergoing a brand make-over for almost a year as they branch into new product categories aside from handbags. Bag Borrow or Steal will remain a part of the website and branding indefinitely.

Q: What other product categories are you looking into? Avelle currently offers handbags, jewelry and sunglasses, but the company is in the process of launching additional categories in accessories and clothing. Shoes are a possibility, but we’ll have to wait and see (crossing my fingers because shoes are my weakness).

Q: What are you carrying and wearing right now?

1. Fendi Square Frame Glasses ($32/week; $70/month) 
2. Anna Beck Rectangle Ring ($20/week; $45/month)
3. Anna Beck Starburst Pendant Necklace ($23/week; $50/month)
4. Christian Dior Soft ‘Lady Dior’ Medium Shopping Tote ($60/week; $175/month)

Photo credits: Sexandthecity.org, Sexanthecity.com, Avelle

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